Manhole step



Ang; 16, 1927.

Y 1,639210 C. S. BROWN MANI-[OLE STEP Filed Nov. 22, 192e f a@ 1 ux@attozweq Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHALMERS s. BROWN, or LIMA, omo, AssIGNoR 'ro BROWN AND BROWN, INC..'or' LIMA, oHIo, A coRPoRA'rIoN or omo;

MANHOLE STEP.

Application filed November 2.2, 1926. Serial No. 150,053.

This inventiony relates to. manhole steps and more particularly to acast metal step adapted to be built into walls of masonry used informing manholes. e

Manhole steps are usually formed by bending bars of iron intosubstantially U- shaped form and embedding the ends of the bars in themortar between t-he bricks. Such steps are disadvantageous f-or thereason 1o that they deteriorate very rapidly and break adjacent thewall. f Accordingly it is an important object of the present inventionto,k provide a cast step which possesses great strength and durabilityand which is adapted to be readily built into the wall during theerection th-ereof.

A further object is to provide a step having a plurality of feet uponwhich it is adapted to rest while the wall is being completed around thestep.

A further object is to provide a step of cast iron or the like formedsubstantially U-shaped to provide arms which are adapted to be embeddedin the mortar between the bricks or the like which form the wall.

Other objects and advantages Iof the invention will becomeY apparentduring the course of the following description.

In thedrawings I have' shown. one embodiment of the invention. In thisshowing, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a wall showingtwo ofthe devices in position,

Figure 2 is a plan view, and, lFigure 3 is a detail perspective of theste Ieferring to the drawings, 'the numeral l 10 designates a wall ofmasonry or the like formed of bricks 11 having mortar 12 placedtherebetween. The device forming the subject matter of the presentinvention comprises a substantially U-shapedy step indicated as a wholeby the numeral 13. The step includes an `outer tread member 14 roughenedon its upper surface as at 15 to reduce the danger of slipping thereon,and n the ends of the tread are provided with guards 16 which alsoserveto prevent the foot of a person .from slipping from the ends of thetread. The device also includes arms 17 the upper porti-ons 18 of whichare formed as horizontal flanges, each armvfurther being provided withvertical flanges y19 which terminate at their ends in feet 20.

a purpose to be described. Upturned lips 22 are preferably formed at therear ends of the arms, as clearly shown in Figures Y 1 and 3.

In placing the device in position, the wall is built to a-desired level,whereupon the step is placed in position. It will be obvious that theportion of the step arranged within the wall is heavier than theprojecting portion whereby the step is adapted to remain in positionwhile thel mason is preparing to place further layers ofV bricks inposition. The distance between the flanges 19 is preferably equal to thelength of a brick or twice the width thereof, whereby these flangesoccupypositions between the bricks as the latter are placed in position.f The feet 20 rest on one layer of bricks, and when the mortar is placedin position, it extends upwardly into the spaces between the feet 20 aswill'be apparent. The'distance between the lower faces of the horizontalflanges 18 and the .lower extremities ofthe feet 20 is preferably equalto the thickness, of a brick, whereby it will be obvious that theflanges 18 lie in a plane between two adjacent courses'of bricks, andthe spacebetween these flanges is filled with mortar. The lips 22 areadapted to engage against the outer4 face of the wall as shown vinFigure 1.

lOwing to the fact that the heavier portion of the device lies over thefeet 20 it will be apparent that there is no tendency for the treadportion of the device to swing down- Y wardly, hencev any tendency whichsuch swinging action would have to injureV the green mortar iseliminated.- From the foregoing it will be apparent that the deviceis'extremely simpleand durable in construction and readily ,may -beplaced in position as the building of ay wall progresses. The tread 14of eachstep is spaced from the wall whereby it is adapted ,to serveas ahand hold when aworkman is climbing up the steps. 1

It is tobe understood that the form yof the invention herewith shown.and. described lis to be taken as a preferred example of the same andthat variouschanges in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departingtfromthe spirit of the invention or thescope of the subupper horizontal ange portions and vertijoined claim.Cal depending {iange portions, each of said claim: depending iztngeportions including a plulf3 A device of the character describedcomrality of downwardly projecting feet. v 5 prising a substantiallyU-'shzlped east metal In testimony whereof aiix my signature.

step having the base portion thereorl formy ing n tread, the arms ofSaid step including CHALMERS S. BROWN.

